AN: Bold is Nightmare/dream text
Dream or Nightmare
Clay looked around the newly opened amusement castle with curious wander. He looked around for his friends and Jestro. The blue knight scratched his head as he continued to look.
"Hey, Clay!"
Clay turned around when he heard Macy call out to him. He saw her and the Knights waving and coming towards him; wearing causal clothing and unarmed. The blue knight smiled as his friends smiled at him.
"How's it going, Macy?" Clay greeted kindly.
"Okay. Training programs not really taking off though." Macy admitted. "People don't really see the need for it since all the monsters are gone."
"That's whack, man." Aaron said before turning to Clay. "What about you Claymate? How've you been?"
"I'm quite well, Aaron; thank you." Clay answered with a smile that quickly turned into a frown. "Through I did have a bit of drama earlier today."
"About Jestro?" Axl assumed.
Clay raised a brow at the large knight.
"How did you know?" He asked.
"I called everyone and told them what happened." Lance admitted. "Speaking of which, where is the J-man?"
Clay looked around for the one in question. But still no luck finding him.
"He said he was going to meet me here." Clay recalled. "But I can't find him any-"
Clay was cut off by the screams of multiple people. He and the Knights quickly directed their attention to a group of people running around a corner in fear. The group of Knights went wide eyed when a large monster ran around the corner. Then it was followed by more. They looked similar to the lava monsters they faced a while ago, but they seemed more nightmarish and surreal with their ear damaging roars, sharp teeth and glowing yellow and red eyes. Clay watched in disbelief as one of them looked straight at him.
"Nexo Knights; defend the people!"
Clay turned around as he heard Macy shoot out orders. The blue knight took a step back when he saw his friends in their armour and armed with their weapons. Clay looked down at himself as they charged towards the attacking monsters. Clay was the only one without his armour and weapon. Something was wrong. Clay looked around frantically; his vision blurring and hearing deafening as people ran in panic. The blue knight froze as he looked at someone standing in the distance in front of the funhouse.
Jestro was standing in front of the funhouse. He was not dressed in his usual blue and purple outfit and his hat was missing; showing a short and messy light brown haircut. He was wearing what looked like a pair of red flannel pyjamas with a pair of black slippers; holding a stuffed dragon toy in his right hand.
"Jestro?"
Clay watched as Jestro blinked at him and turned away. Clay gasped as something came out of the funhouse. A large shadow black blob creature oozed out of the funhouse and took the form of a giant shadow in the shape of a man. Clay watched in horror as Jestro just stood there unfazed. The shadow creature opened a pair of glowing yellow and red eyes. Clay felt his insides go cold as the creature looked at him; flashing a big sharp fanged smile before giving Jestro his attention. Clay tried to run towards him, but he could not move. Clay held his hand out to Jestro as the creature stretched out its hands and grabbed Jestro; spreading black goo around him until he was completely engulfed.
Clay awoke with a jolt as he gasped for air. The blue knight breathed heavily as he heard his own heartbeat banging against his eardrums, but he calmed down when he realised he was in his bed, in his quarters at the academy. Clay sat up properly as he ran his hand through his hair. Clay only had two hours of sleep a night, but he never had any dreams like that. Everything about it seemed so real. It was even similar to... last night...
Clay gasped as he recalled last night. He quickly reached for his phone and went through his contacts. When Clay first got his phone, he made sure he had all the numbers of his friends. Including Jestro. The blue knight pressed the number and waited anxiously for Jestro to answer. Clay felt silent relief when video popped up.
"Hello?" He heard Jestro talk in a tired voice, but his head was facing away from the camera.
"Jestro, it's me, Clay." Clay talked into the phone and looked into the camera.
Clay saw Jestro turn his face to camera, showing him half asleep as he blinked out of tiredness.
"Clay? Why're you calling me at five in the morning?" Jestro questioned tiredly.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted make sure you're alright." Clay apologised as he explained.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Jestro asked as he yawned.
Clay hesitated to answer, so he asked a question.
"What happened last night?"
Jestro looked into the camera of his phone and blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Last night? What did we do?" Clay asked desperately.
"Clay, we went to the grand opening of the amusement castle. We went in, had a good time, and ate some cotton candy; that's it." Jestro answered as he recalled last night. "Though Axl almost got sick on the monster rider coaster, but he was fine after a couple hotdogs; quite ironic, honestly."
Clay watched as Jestro gave him a worried look through the camera of his phone.
"You alright Clay?" The jester asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Clay scratched his head as he registered what Jestro asked him.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I just have a big day ahead." Clay answered as calmly as possible.
"Okay. Well, I've got a big day too. Gonna use that free spa Lance gave me." Jestro smiled as he looked into the camera before closing his tired eyes and covering his mouth to yawn. "If it's alright with you, I really want to go back to sleep."
Clay nodded and wished Jestro a good day before saying goodbye and hanging up. Clay put his phone to the side as he took a breath and sighed deeply. He started thinking about the dream he had. It was more of a nightmare then a dream. What really unnerved him was the fact that Jestro was in it and some creature attacked him. Clay was not sure how to make sense of it. He thought it had something to do with what happened a few months ago. Clay was a bit on edge after the book of monsters tried to turn him into his vessel when he tried to rescue Jestro. If it wasn't for Merlok, Clay would have been gone by now and the kingdom would be destroyed under the hands of Monstrox. But Clay reassured himself that would never happen. The book was missing its pages when Merlok destroyed it, so Monstrox had to be gone with it. Clay dismissed the nightmare; thinking it was just his memory playing a trick on him. But he did think it might be best to tell the other Knights or Merlok about it. Clay nodded to himself as he got out of bed to do some morning training; getting ready for the day.
Clay went to the castle the following day. To his delight, the Fortrex was there; meaning Macy was home and Merlok was there to talk to. Clay walked up to the door of the Fortrex and pressed a button next to it; making the sound of a doorbell ring. Clay waited for someone to answer. He looked up when the emblem above turned in a screen; showing Merlok 2.0 booting up and looking down at Clay.
"Oh, Clay! Wonderful to see you, my boy!" The holographic wizard greeted. "How are you?"
"I'm well, Merlok. But I was hoping I could talk to you about something.
"Yes of course!"
Merlok turned his head on the screen.
"Ava, Clay's here to visit!" Merlok called out to the child computer genius.
"I'll open the door now." Clay heard Ava's voice off-screen.
Clay stood back as the door to the Fortrex opened. He walked inside the armoured fortress and made his way to the main room where Merlok and Ava were waiting. The holographic wizard and the child prodigy turned to the door as the blue knight walked in.
"I'm glad you guys are here." Clay spoke in a thankful tone.
"Well, Macy said she was going to go to another village in a few days, so we're not busy." Ava said, sounding a little bored.
"Actually, I came because I need to talk to Merlok about something." Clay explained his presence.
"Of course, Clay. What's on your mind?" Merlok asked with intent to listen.
Clay looked to the floor as he tried to think of something. Merlok and Ava watched as he tried to answer.
"I had a dream last night." He stated simply.
Ava turned away from the console on the computer and gave Clay her full attention while Merlok listened with curious interest.
"I wouldn't think you would have any dreams, considering that you only sleep for two hours." Ava admitted with honesty.
Clay just shrugged in response.
"It was more of a nightmare actually." He admitted.
Merlok and Ava gave Clay rather concerned looks.
"Was it a really bad one?" Ava asked.
"Well, it looked so real." Clay began to explain. "It was similar to what we were doing last night when we went to the amusement castle. But Monsters attacked and sent everyone into a panic. Then Jestro was there, and he got attacked by a giant black mass. Then I woke up."
Ava looked at Clay with a rather disturbed look while Merlok stroked his digital beard in deep thought.
"Yes, that does sound like a bad dream." The holographic wizard spoke softly before facing Clay. "Has something been bothering you, Clay?"
"Well I have been thinking about Jestro and what happened a few months ago." Clay admitted. "And he had a bit of a health scare yesterday too."
"Yes, I did hear about that from Lance." Merlok admitted. "He said he took a bit of a fall."
"Maybe you're worried about him and your mind is just taking it out of proportion." Ava suggested.
Clay just shrugged.
"I suppose. I did call him to make sure he was fine." He recalled what he did early in the morning. "You think that might have been too much?"
"Of course not, Clay. You just wanted to make sure Jestro was safe. Anyone would do the same." Merlok reassured.
"You probably just need a break to relieve any stress you might be holding onto." Ava suggested. "But knowing you, you're not really that keen on breaks."
Clay smiled a little as he lightly chuckled.
"Probably not." He said with a shrug.
"Ava is right, Clay." Merlok took the child prodigy's side of the conversation. "Perhaps some time off would do you some good. Spend some time with friends and go have fun."
Clay thought about it for a moment. True, he was not really the type of person to take a vacation. But maybe just considering taking a break would do some good for him.
"I guess I could take a break." He admitted in slight defeat.
Merlok and Ava nodded in approval.
"By the way Clay; how is Jestro after that little tumble of his?" Merlok asked in general concern.
"He's alright. Paramedics think it might have been stress." Clay explained.
Clay secretly hoped Jestro was alright with what he would be doing today. He knew the jester was going to the spa for that free treatment Lance gave him. So he should be fine there. Bad things do not happen in spas. Right?
